Man of the week
Sepp – staying strong, two years after his 2013 Oxford Union speech: “There are those who will tell you that Fifa is just a conspiracy, a scam. There are those who will tell you of the supposed sordid secrets that lie deep in our Bond villain headquarters in the hills above Zurich, where we plot to exploit the unfortunate and the weak. They would have you believe I sit in my office with a sinister grin, gently stroking the chin of an expensive, white Persian cat as my sidekicks scour the earth to force countries to hand over their money. But that is not who we are. Not Fifa. Not me.”
• Sepp’s key message in the 2013 speech on “how I dedicated my life for the good of football” – a call for students to see through the smears: “Perhaps you think I am a ruthless parasite sucking the lifeblood out of the world and football. The Godfather of the Fifa gravy train. An out-of-touch, heartless schmoozer. There are not many names the media haven’t thrown at me … You ask yourself: what have I done?”
Timing of the week
Michel Platini – denying wrongdoing after Sepp’s criminal charges showed Platini being paid £1.35m in 2011 for work he finished in 2002. The fee was paid in February, three months before Platini ruled out challenging Sepp for the presidency: “How can I do two jobs?” he said. “I have only one tongue.”
• Also new from Platini last week: a full explanation about why he switched his 2022 vote from the US to Qatar after meeting Nicolas Sarkozy and Qatari officials: “I knew what would be good”; and a pledge to give Fifa a fresh start if he wins next year’s vote: “With me, it’s all about football, not politics.”
And elsewhere last week
• Congo FA head Constant Omari replacing the indicted Jeffrey Webb as head of Fifa’s anti-racism task force, a year after he used Fifa congress to attack British press “racists” for making up lies about corruption.
• And Kenya FA president Sam Nyamweya pledging his security agents will “compile a list of shame” to screen out suspect officials from their elections, three months after he was accused of embezzling $500,000. Nyamweya vehemently denied the “reckless” media allegations, telling reporters: “If you don’t have proof, don’t write it … or you shall be taken to the sweepers.”
Other news: happiest twist
Arsenal: still struggling to fund the living wage, but finding £2.2m for chief executive Ivan Gazidis, and £3m to pay majority shareholder Stan Kroenke for “advice”. Chairman Sir Chips Keswick last year called it good value. “We are entirely satisfied the fee was appropriate.”
Most brilliant
George Osborne: explaining why he handed China £3m to train local footballers, having cut £215m from UK sport since 2010 with more council cuts coming in November: “Grassroots football plays an instrumental role in UK life. It is brilliant to be able to spread that to China.”
Comeback of the week
Croatia: Josip Simunic, hired as national assistant coach, two years after serving a 10-match ban for leading pro-Nazi chants. Coach Ante Cacic: “Josip personifies decency and honesty in football. I look at him as an outstanding player, man, and patriot.”
Best vision
Romania: New FC Voluntari coach Mircea Radulescu, 74 – their third coach in 11 games – setting out his long-term vision: “I said this to the mayor. If he rates me, let him give me a grave in the club cemetery. If the big moment comes, I want a grave.”
Biggest regret
France: AC Ajaccio’s Joris Sainati, banned for 16 months for punching two players during a scuffle. “If their keeper hadn’t slapped our young player it wouldn’t have happened. Do I regret it? Yes, of course, 200,000%.”
Taking the ball home
Romania: Billionaire Ioan Niculae, jailed for corruption in April, keeping costs down at his club Astra Giurgiu by “restricting wages and clothing”. Coach Marius Sumudica: “The players want to strike. He’s also not giving us food.” Director Petre Buduru: “The situation isn’t rosy.”
Boyhood dream fulfilled
Argentina: Primera C Luján’s scorer Mariano Gorosito, booked for celebrating his goal by running behind the net, climbing into the front seat of an ambulance and pretending to be a paramedic. Local media said the celebration was “over-excited, and of questionable taste”.
Modern football news: club of the week
China: Shanghai Shenhua facing sanctions after a fan threw an iPhone at Shandong Luneng’s Diego Tardelli. Sina Sports: “Where other fans attack with water bottles, Shanghai fans reach for their phones. Shanghai fans are too rich.”
Plus: trend of the week
Germany: Uerdingen mascot Grotifant the elephant facing action after going into a stand to “beat” a fan who pulled his trunk until his head came off. Operator Andreas Bosheck: “The fan said sorry but I was angry. I wanted my head.” Local media pointed to a “worrying trend”, after Austria Vienna mascot Super Leo frightened children in May by being “too drunk to stand”.
